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I'm just throwing this out there, but what in the world would posses the Nationals to let him on the field if he's so sick he has to throw up in the dugout between innings. If we buy the notion that injuries are more common when player's are tired, isn't this just asking for trouble? More importantly, what if he got even sicker because he didn't rest? is the one game worth losing him for a week for want of one day off?

I get that the kid is almost supernaturally talented, but if the Nationals are going to let the 20 year old kid call the shots then something is going to go mighty wrong before Harper's tenure in DC is over.

I'm just throwing this out there, but what in the world would posses the Nationals to let him on the field if he's so sick he has to throw up in the dugout between innings. If we buy the notion that injuries are more common when player's are tired, isn't this just asking for trouble? More importantly, what if he got even sicker because he didn't rest? is the one game worth losing him for a week for want of one day off?

But are his muscles tired? I would think not. He just feels crappy b/c of the virus.

Feeling crappy probably makes you less likely to overexert yourself and cause injury. I think the real danger is when someone is physically hurt and they take pain killers to mask the pain and get out there anyway.

I'm just throwing this out there, but what in the world would posses the Nationals to let him on the field if he's so sick he has to throw up in the dugout between innings. If we buy the notion that injuries are more common when player's are tired, isn't this just asking for trouble? More importantly, what if he got even sicker because he didn't rest? is the one game worth losing him for a week for want of one day off?

I get that the kid is almost supernaturally talented, but if the Nationals are going to let the 20 year old kid call the shots then something is going to go mighty wrong before Harper's tenure in DC is over.

He's 20 years old, in great physical shape, and has an off day today. It's the flu, not like he's gutting things out on a bad hamstring or something.

Feeling crappy probably makes you less likely to overexert yourself and cause injury. I think the real danger is when someone is physically hurt and they take pain killers to mask the pain and get out there anyway.

Ordinarily I'd agree with you, and I certainly think your spot on about pain killers. But mental exhaustion and loss of equilibrium would probably make this a pretty dangerous situation in its own right. If he loses focus while chasing down a fly ball and twists his ankle he's still hurt, and that's entirely the kind of thing I'd expect from a situation like this.

BTW, I can't speak for everyone, but the times I've had the flu muscle fatigue has been a severe symptom. Weakness in the knees is actually indicative of the flu, isn't it?

He's 20 years old, in great physical shape, and has an off day today. It's the flu, not like he's gutting things out on a bad hamstring or something.

Well, leaving aside what I think is an increased chance of injury, I think letting Harper decide to play sets a bad precedent. But then again, I think the other way can lead to bad stuff too, i.e. Freeman will probably hide his next muscle sprain from the Braves.

Did he walk around the dugout in a bubble suit? If he infects the rest of the team then that's certainly not going to help their win total. Unless they start intentionally infecting the opposition too.

Was it the flu or the Mickey Mantle / Whitey Ford "flu-like symptoms"?

Seeing as how 1.) Harper doesn't drink as he is both underage and a Mormon; 2.) He and Denard Span were both out of the prior game because of the flu (and Span sat last night as well), I'm pretty confident the answer is no.

I mean, unless that was one *hell* of a bender the two of them went on together.

I wouldn't have let him play but I suppose, yeah, one of the main reasons you feel so crappy is the dehydration and once you get that sorted, you'll feel a lot better. A hydrated Harper shouldn't be feeling woozy, etc so I guess maybe there's not much added risk. Re-dehydrating by puking between innings is not recommended though. :-)

I once played a full IM basketball game with the flu (or an exceptionally bad cold ... not the stomach variety). I was "fine" as long as I was moving but I did nothing but violently hack and wheeze during halftime and after the game. Not one of the smarter things I've ever done but not as dumb as playing basketball about 10 hours after giving blood. Can you do that Mr. Baseball Superstar? Huh?

4-5 is impressive, but two were groundballs-with-eyes through the infield and one was a broken-bat that he beat out with some good hustle. The double wasn't particularly hard hit, but was a solid line-drive down the line. A good day, but it's not like he was hitting lasers all over the field.

BTW, I can't speak for everyone, but the times I've had the flu muscle fatigue has been a severe symptom. Weakness in the knees is actually indicative of the flu, isn't it?

Yes, but that's really the flu. The "stomach flu" that people talk about all the time just means that they're puking their guts out for what could be any number of reasons that have nothing to do with influenza.

4-5 is impressive, but two were groundballs-with-eyes through the infield and one was a broken-bat that he beat out with some good hustle. The double wasn't particularly hard hit, but was a solid line-drive down the line. A good day, but it's not like he was hitting lasers all over the field.

Yeah, but that's precisely what's so impressive. Take a look again at his last hit of the day (it's in the link) -- that was an infield grounder, in the ninth inning, with two outs and the Nats already up four runs against the least threatening team in baseball (Giancarlo Stanton = not in the lineup). And yet he still was busting his ass like a madman to beat out the throw by a split second, allowing the runner on third to score. All this despite being violently ill the day before and on an IV drip (and puking!) during the game.

That's just some damn impressive heart right there.

Also, his beard is veering dangerously close to Werthian proportions at this point. It's beginning to look kinda cool on him, actually.

Mind you I don't get people getting excited over someone with the flu having a good day. It's the flu, man up. But it's impressive on this guy because of all the bs that he took about his attitude and it shows his character that he is willing to tough it out even though the team would have been perfectly willing to let him rest.

Well, leaving aside what I think is an increased chance of injury, I think letting Harper decide to play sets a bad precedent. But then again, I think the other way can lead to bad stuff too, i.e. Freeman will probably hide his next muscle sprain from the Braves.

The story in St Louis was that JD Drew tried to play through some pain and TLR convinced him to take days off if he was hurt...somehow he missed the point that there is a difference between taking a day off because you can't perform, and that it is acceptable to play at less than 100%.

I think I got my first hangover around 32, I remember drinking and getting drunk in my teens and 20's and thinking what was the big deal about hangovers. Hell, I still think that as I've never had the stereotypical hangover.

I think I got my first hangover around 32, I remember drinking and getting drunk in my teens and 20's and thinking what was the big deal about hangovers. Hell, I still think that as I've never had the stereotypical hangover.

So supposedly the Nationals took Bryce Harper's Opening Day jersey and sold it at auction, without his permission or telling him they were going to do that. He was not thrilled. Considering it was his first Opening Day, I'm sure he had designs on keeping it.

Though I'm sure the jersey is technically the Nationals property and they can do what they want with it, etc., this wasn't very cool of the Nats.

I think I got my first hangover around 32, I remember drinking and getting drunk in my teens and 20's and thinking what was the big deal about hangovers. Hell, I still think that as I've never had the stereotypical hangover.

I'm with you, McCoy. I'm still waiting for my first true hangover, whatever that is.

Man you people who don't get hungover, #### you. From the time I started drinking when I was 19 right through college and to today I have always gotten massive, god awful hangovers. One of my best friends was one of you ######## who didn't get hangovers. He'd visit me at school, we'd get smashed and the next morning he'd be up and at 'em and I'd be wondering if stabbing myself in the eyeball with a butter knife would be preferable to the headache/stomachache/general misery that was my hangover.

So supposedly the Nationals took Bryce Harper's Opening Day jersey and sold it at auction, without his permission or telling him they were going to do that. He was not thrilled. Considering it was his first Opening Day, I'm sure he had designs on keeping it.

Though I'm sure the jersey is technically the Nationals property and they can do what they want with it, etc., this wasn't very cool of the Nats.

I'm surprised he didn't realize that as they were promoting at the ballpark for awhile. It wasn't Harper's jersey that got auctioned but a bunch of game used opening day stuff. Bases, balls, bats, hats, and so on.

A paramedic friend of mine told me that you feel drained, dazed, and confused because you piss away all your electrolytes, so drink your Gatorade or other tonics to restore your electrolytes. That's your real Hangover Helper.

The water only helps so much. I've had quarts of water before bed, after a hard drinking night. It ameliorates hangovers but does not prevent them.

You can't drink it all at once, your body can't absorb enough in one go to rehydrate you. You've got to drink as you drink. I generally have cup of water between every drink and I never get hung over.

Although, I was also one of those weirdos who didn't ever worry about getting hung over in my teens and early 20s. I turned 25 and went out with friends and got the worst hangover of my life. (Not counting the 3 days I was so hungover I couldn't eat after I passed the bar exam last year, that was a special occasion and no man should ever drink 2 bottles of champagne and wash it down with with his cousin's homemade apple pie)